


Negotiator's Garden

by NyeLung



Series: In all of us [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Space Fae Obi-Wan Kenobi, this is fun and fluff and somehow also sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:09:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28923369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NyeLung/pseuds/NyeLung
Summary: The curious thing is that the clone troopers keep bringing Master Kenobi those cuttings, he accepts them gratefully and then he puts them in soil and waters them and they don't wither and die. They should wither and die. That Alderaani snow zherry cannot withstand hyperspace travel. That Kashyyyk begonia is carnivorous and what Master Kenobi has put into the soil as roots are actually the tentacles it uses to catch prey.The oneshot where Obi-Wan is most likely some kind of space fae, Ahsoka is a botany nerd and there's debatably sentient plants.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Plo Koon & Ahsoka Tano
Series: In all of us [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2164068
Comments: 16
Kudos: 166





	Negotiator's Garden

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nsmorig](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nsmorig/gifts).



> Big thanks to morig for listening to me joke and plan this oneshot, for helping with the characters I don't know that well yet and especially for that Cody scene.  
> Also, Ahsoka may be a botany nerd but I most certainly am not and I think not one of these plants exists canonically^^

# Negotiator's Garden

The first thing Ahsoka notices about Master Kenobi's office space are the plants. Even though lightsaber classes had been her favourite, Xeno-Botany had come in at a close second and Master Kenobi has a collection of the most awesome plants...

"Wow, Master Kenobi", Ahsoka exclaims, "how do you manage to keep a Hoth volcano orchid here?"

"Hm?" Master Kenobi looks up from a report – by the neat way it's been filled and written, Ahsoka guesses that it's one of Cody's – and follows her gaze. "Ah, is that what it's called? I didn't have the time to study them yet."

Ahsoka feels like she should blink cartoonishly at her Master's Master. "That's a Hoth volcano orchid. I didn't think they'd grow outside of volcanoes but yours is thriving." How?

"Oh, I just put the cutting in soil and water it between missions."

What?, Ahsoka almost exclaims. Orchids, especially such specialized orchids as the Hoth volcano orchid, are notorious for being fussy plants and this particular orchid also doesn't take kindly to cuttings. "I'm amazed, Master. Amazed but confused."

He clearly wants to ask her what has her confused but that's when Master Anakin finally appears and the post-mission-briefing begins.

Master Kenobi doesn't mind that Ahsoka likes to sit in his office to meditate when she's forced to do it. It's easier with all the plants around and she has noticed that his clone troops keep bringing him new ones after every mission. It's always cuttings and usually not the way a cutting should be done. The clones, of course, don't know. Kamino doesn't have vegetation above the water level and the only things they probably learnt about plants are which ones can be burnt, which are toxic and which ones are sentient and how those can be killed. It's sad, Ahsoka thinks.

The curious thing is that they keep bringing Master Kenobi those cuttings, he accepts them gratefully and then he puts them in soil and waters them and they don't wither and die. They should wither and die. That Alderaani snow zherry cannot withstand hyperspace travel. That Kashyyyk begonia is carnivorous and what Master Kenobi has put into the soil as roots are actually the tentacles it uses to catch prey.

Ahsoka changes her meditation spot once the begonia moves in. It seems content in its pot but Ahsoka doesn't want to give it reason to change its mind.

What she doesn't understand is how Master Kenobi keeps all these plants alive. It's certainly not proper care.

Maybe she has to meditate more.

Some part of the mystery begins to make sense when Ahsoka passes by Master Kenobi's office during the night cycle. Master Kenobi has been forced into his quarters to sleep by Cody, Master Anakin is probably still out cold from the pain meds and Ahsoka is just doing the last rounds.

She's not the only one because there's lights on in Master Kenobi's office. Not another spy, right?

Slowly, Ahsoka sneaks closer. Oh, she recognizes that voice and that Force presence. That's not a spy. That's Cody.

"You're letting me down", he says.

Eh, what? Ahsoka wrinkles her nose. She can feel Cody in there and no one else. Who's he talking to? Or is this his famous "I'm disappointed, cadet"-speech and he's practising?

"You're letting the general down but most importantly, you're letting _yourself_ down."

It does sound like he's actually doing the real deal. If that's Cody's practice for the famous speech, then Ahsoka doesn't want to live through the actual speech. She's already feeling down but also pumped up to prove Cody wrong.

He's not even talking to her.

"Now stand that stem to attention and bloom. A flower's got to bloom."

Ahsoka is sure that her confusion has her nose wrinkled up all up to her forehead. Cody is talking to a flower?

Sometimes she wonders when the apparent madness of everyone in the GAR will also infect her. Ahsoka hopes it's still some time off.

"Rex?", Ahsoka asks in that drawn-out way that has the captain's Force presence spike with worry.

"I'm a little busy, Commander."

She can see that. For some reason Rex has decided that he needs to do the repairs on the faulty airlock and is up to his torso inside the ship. His voice is muffled.

"Does Cody practise that 'I'm disappointed cadet'-speech?"

There's a clang and a muttered curse. "I wouldn't know."

"I've heard him last night in Master Kenobi's office." Ahsoka throws herself into a dramatic posture, not that Rex can appreciate it. "You're letting me down. You're letting the general down yadda-yadda."

"That does sound like his speech." Another muttered curse. "Hand me the plasma-torch, would you?"

Ahsoka looks around, finds it, then hands it to the still head-less Rex. "He was talking to the Naboo lotus. You know, the light green one that had it's head drooping lately?"

"I saw it."

Is the airlock supposed to make that sound? She's not sure but she trusts Rex's competency so she's not too worried. "It stood straight again today. I checked."

"I would, too, after that speech."

Ahsoka can't really argue with that except that's not how plants work. At all.

"I just don't understand it, Master Plo", Ahsoka sighs. "Everything I've ever learned about botany tells me that those plants should have long withered or combusted or turned to dust but they thrive."

"Ah, little 'soka, there's a good reason for that."

"Master Kenobi uses the Force?"

Master Plo nods. "It's an old story but Master Kenobi has always had a talent with growing things, especially those that aren't sentient." Master Plo pauses. "Sentient by Republic definition."

It's a discussion as old as the Republic itself, probably older, how different forms of life are to be categorized. Definitely older. "He doesn't seem to be aware."

"I would be surprised. There... was an incident when he was very young but it was decided to keep it under wraps." Master Plo braces his chin on his hand. "Do you remember that youngling exercise where you learn to reach for the Force and feel it in all things? The one with the flowers?"

Ahsoka remembers. She had loved it and also the later exercise where they learned to gently wrap the Force around that flower and help it reach for the light.

"When Master Kenobi attempted that lesson..." Master Plo clears his throat. "His flower grew beyond compare. A wild talent. After that it was recommended to not nurture this wild talent more. We've... maybe you should ask Master Kenobi about the beginning of his apprenticeship. It's not my story to tell."

Ahsoka narrows her eyes. It would be rude to talk about Master Kenobi behind his back but she's curious and Master Plo has the answers... except he doesn't want to talk and when he doesn't want to talk, he will not talk.

"Fine..."

The second thing Ahsoka notices about Master Kenobi's office is that he looks more at peace here than in any other place or situation she's seen him in. The Hoth volcano orchid is swinging its petals as though caught in a hot thermal. The Alderaani snow zherry sprig is in full bloom, a small sea of light blue. The Kashyyyk begonia... that one Ahsoka is still wary of, especially because she can see a little skeleton of some small animal or other that must have come on board during a mission between the broad leaves. As for the Naboo lotus, that one is now two very big flowers on very straight stems.

It still shouldn't bloom in just soil. The Naboo lotus is a swamp plant but it doesn't seem to care.

"Master Kenobi?", she ducks inside. Is this a good idea? Probably not. "I was wondering if you could answer a question of mine?"

Master Kenobi looks up from another report – definitely Master Anakin's since there's doodles at the sides. "Sure. Ask away."

Surely she's just imagining that the Kashyyyk begonia is moving almost as if its leaning forwards to listen. Oh, this was a bad idea. Still, no way to go but forward. "So you remember when I was confused about your plants? You know, that you kept that Hoth volcano orchid alive?"

"I remember." Master Kenobi is looking at her with that amused glint in his eyes. "What is this about?"

"Are you aware that a Hoth volcano orchid needs an air temperature of about five hundred degrees to bloom and usually withers within a day if put anywhere colder? Or that the Alderaani snow zherry is very fussy about hyperspace travel? Or that the Kashyyyk begonia is carnivorous and that those aren't roots? Or that the Naboo lotus only grows in open areas of water? Because I've taken classes on botany before... before the war and I still read books and publications because I like plants and yours... yours shouldn't thrive." Oh no, she's word vomiting. "And it doesn't make sense and I've asked Master Plo about it and... are you aware that they are almost sentient because I'm pretty sure they're watching me right now?"

Master Kenobi, to his credit, does not laugh. "Breathe, Ahsoka. I am aware of their presence in the Force. Everything else is news to me." Then he frowns. "You asked Master Plo?"

"Well, I was confused", she says apologetically. "And he told me you've always had a wild talent for plants and that I should ask you about the beginning of your apprenticeship."

"The beginning of my apprenticeship to Qui-Gon? I don't see what that has to do with..." He trails off and there's a shadow passing his face. "I think he meant before the actual start of my apprenticeship."

"You don't have to tell me." Master Kenobi is always very good at hiding any hurt but the Togruta are hunters and a hurt prey is easy prey, so Ahsoka always notices. "I just... when this war is over, I want to go back to botany, something that's not fighting and I think you use the Force to nurture all these plants that need other environments. So... could you show me?"

There's a softness to Master Kenobi that no one who's seen him on a battlefield will believe exists. Here, in the peace of his garden that should not work this way, he's open enough to show it. "Only if you teach me how to properly care for these plants. It seems I should pay more attention to them."

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so.  
> Obi-Wan is space fae and I have proof: 1. twists words around and does not lie 2. loves good manners 3. will make you regret breaking a promise 4. plants (especially in this one shot) 5. that entrance on Tatooine from nowhere and the respect/fear of the tusken 6. to X. I forgot those  
> Obi-Wan's wild talent with plants is basically... well, in Jedi Apprentice when he ages out (and let's not talk about that mechanism), he's sent to Bandomeer to the AgriCorps. Farmers. Now, while from his perspective in the books, most adults seem to be quite... I don't want to say stupid but... well, I don't think the Council of Reassignment would send him anywhere where he's completely unsuited, so I thought: ok, what if he's good with plants? right? I mean, it's basically canon by now that Qui-Gon loved to garden and Obi-Wan adopted that. But I thought... hm. he was supposed to be a farmer, so let's go from there. And since Obi-Wan is a stubborn individual and the Force is basically space magic... why not let the plants under his care adopt some of that stubbornness so that they thrive where they really shouldn't?  
> I don't know soka very well yet but, well, I think before she got involved deeply into this war, she probably wanted to fight and adventures but the more she got involved in that big heap of awfulness, the more she probably wanted to go back to studies and I thought that botany was a cool thing to study.  
> For the Cody speech, you'll have to thank nsmorig^^ I don't think if Cody is practising or if he's aware that his general's plants are a bit more sentient than plants of those species usually are... but apparently it works.  
> And maybe some day Ahsoka gets to hear that story of how Obi-Wan almost didn't become a Jedi Knight but this is a oneshot and I wanted it to end on a more hopeful note. Well. For Obi-Wan and 'soka. We, as readers sadly know what comes after the war...


End file.
